The drow have led over a hundred halfling townspeople into a field outside of town and tied them to stakes in the ground. As the party and their allies approach the drow release giant spiders, who proceed to tear the townspeople apart. It is a brutal display which shakes the morale of the party’s forces.

Not only this but the mercenaries have chained many townspeople to the wooden palisade around the town. Careless action or bombardment will have a terrible cost.

Rolen rouses the troops with a speech and orders Sven to begin bombarding the mercenary positions. The first day of battle begins.

The lines push back and forth outside of town, neither side gaining a clear advantage. The party manages to kill Kurtis’s battle priest Harken Olar. This creates an opening in the lines and they advance towards the town gate.

Lethris Ulshar call upon he most powerful ally, the red dragon Xecorra Darkfire. With the dragons aid the party’s forces are pushed back away from the gates.

The first day is mostly a draw. The party has advanced nearer to the gates but has taken significant losses. The plan for the next day is clear, they must bring down Xecorra or they will stand no chance of entering Stoneybrook.

Sven has amassed a significant army and has been striking back against the mercenaries. The party decided to go after the leaders of the Iron Collar company. They manage to eliminate several of Kutis’s officers and Rolen manages to infiltrate the main camp. There he learns the Kurtis has hired the Velvet Dagger, a band of exiled drow mercenaries, led by the ruthless Lethris Ulshar.

Rolen shadows Kurtis Levin into his base of operations, a bank in the northern part of town. Kurtis’s private office is in the banks vault, there Rolen observes that Kurtis does not sleep or eat. He finds a magic correspondence box, with the following note:

Slave

I am well aware of Strahd’s useless machinations and plans regarding the Tyvor Empire. But as you are aware, his influence no longer holds in the tower given his recent failures. Our plans no longer require the service of these pitiful mortals.

When the drow we have provided to you arrive, you are to wipe the halflings out and return.

Rolen and Rangrim depart for Tyvor City to once again seek the aid of Rene Dovaram. Fred and the Guardian make battle plans with Sven. The drow arrive in 5 days, they must be ready to take back the town. Renee assembles his best men and heads south with Herbert Morlan. They arrive a day before the drow.

Unexpectedly Connor MacEwan and his scouting force arrive that evening, they have read Fred’s call for assitance.

Herbert asks the party to defend him while his men loot the library. The undead hordes outside have located them and a long grueling battle is fought while Herbert and Rene’s men take as much as possible from the library. Strahd arrives and battles Rene. Using some evil spell Rene’s sword burns in his hands and paralyzes him. Rangrimm manages to drag Rene to safety.

Malek puts himself in Strahd’s path.

“Go my friends! My purpose is finally fulfilled. Now let us see if I can take a few undead horrors with me to my rest!”

The party escapes through the circle, leaving Malek behind to meet his final rest.

Renee introduces the party to Archmage Herbert Morlan at the Mage’s College. Herbert is able to decipher the architects writings and determines how to open the Vault. The key is silver plaque, so only Rolan may enter. Renee joins the party and brings some of his soldiers through to guard Herbert’s ritual.

Herbert successfully opens the Vault and Rolan enters. In it he finds The Guardian, a dragonkin who was sealed into the Vault when it was built. The guardian reveals that vault is a static point of time in the past. He gives Rolan the broken pieces of , The Shame the legendary spear that killed the golden dragon Bethsara. The pieces are encased a large cylindrical crystal.

When leaving the architects home the party is ambushed by a huge undead Bone Yard. The party is victorious but Sariel falls. Unable to resurect her the party hides in a nearby building planning what to do. Hours later the house they are hiding in is torn to pieces by magical force.

Tan Lin has arrived to claim his daughter. The party is helpless to resist. They offer him the artifact that they claimed from Strahd’s mansion. Lin crushes the artifact disdaining it as a toy. The party is forced to hand over Sariel and the Orb, Lin takes them and leaves.

Malek leads the party to the library where there is a teleportation circle. They use it to travel to Tyvor to seek aid from Renne Dovaram

In the dark tunnels Sariel begins to hallucinate. She sees visions of a metal rod draped with chains. After searching her equipment she finds that the box that holds the Orb has been scorched from the inside. Examining the Orb she finds that the crack has been fused, this is an ill omen.

With Malek’s aid the party navigates the sewers and finds the home of Emari. In the architects home the find his writtings about the Vault and how it was created. Much of the complicated arance diagrams are beyond their understanding, but they do find a magic ritual needed to open the vault.

Rolan finds an image of himself etched into a silver plaque, the plaque appears to be several hundred years old, predating his own birth.

On a hunch the party decides to travel east to the ruins of the dragon city of Belsis in search of aid or artifacts.

The journey is long but eventually they reach the ruins of the great city. The party enters into what used to be the city harbor. Among the ships smashed by the cataclysm the are hunted by undead. Some scouting by Rolan reveals an army of undead and necromancers is digging up the ruins. They seem to be searching for something in particular in addition to loading up all of the dessicated corpses they find onto large wagons.

In an effort to evade the undead horde the party finds it way into the city sewers. In the sewer the party encounters the ghost of Malek Silverwing. Malek has roamed the ruins of the city underground since he was killed there on the Day of Cataclysm. Malek explains that in life he was the guardian of the Mage Architect Emari. He attempted to flee with his master through the sewers but was crushed when the tunnel collapsed. Emari was attempting to flee with the secret of the Belsis Vault. Malek’s spirit remains until he can pass the Vault on to someone so he agrees to help the party find it.

The party heads south in the Halfling Protectorate State. They arrive in Fred’s old hometown, the halfling city of Stoneybrook. The city is under martial law and entrance restricted by a large group of mercenaries. The mercenaries are the Iron Collar company and have been hired by the local Imperial commander to keep order. Fred meets with his uncle Sven who informs him the the Imperial Guard and their mercenaries have most halfings in a state of slavery. Many are sent to farm camps and forced to work the fields. The empire has had trouble maintaining its food supplies so they have decided to force the halfings to produce food.

Fred and the party decide that they want to help Sven liberate the camps and drive out the empire and their mercenaries. They supply Sven with money and begin to scout the camps.

After some time they discover that the mercenaries are transporting something around the town. The party investigates this shipment and find it is heavily guarded. Once of the large metal wagons breaks open and ghouls pour out. The party fight the ghouls and other undead horrors that emerge from the wagons. The find evidence the Corpsetower in somehow involved in this shipment of horrors.

Fred pens a letter for wide release urging halflings and other like minded people to rise up against the mercenaries.

(To whom it concerns:)

Although this is a minor infraction of justice in the world the oppression of my race and family is but an atrocity that sits atop the cusp of a larger evil. The military oppression of the halfling protectorate is not power for power’s sake as my party and I have recently intercepted a convoy transporting a corpse golem and ghouls for what is sure to be for some military aim as they are not needed to oppress the population. Our forces, even as they grow, will not be able to stand up to such a threat without assistance.

It may strengthen your resolve to know that the root of the wild is still alive. I have been chosen as a lesson and witness nightly visions of it’s continued life. I know this is dangerous knowledge and treat it as such and hope this letter finds its way un-intercepted. I have also been given visions of the great tree’s avatar: the sapling, peeking in between the battle lines of a great future conflict. I ask that you send your assistance before it is too late as the world you know will not be able to be one to come back to if we are not successful which is all the more difficult if justice is not see for my race.

There are abominations of unlife afoot. Knowing this as my party and I have extinguished many of them as well as their cults from this world as we search for their origin. We have been asailed climbing the godswall by assassins from the shadow realm. Having reached the second monastary of the seekers we ventured into the mountain and discovered evidence of an escaped abomination known as an atropal. It may also be of note that the vampire )Strahd Von Zarovich is still existing in unlife as my party and I met in Laketown although we failed to destroy him. Azzadral to my knowledge has also been alerted to this call toward preparation and is surely working against us to some evil end.

Although my plea is humble there is a larger storm gathering. Let us find mutual allegiance on the battlefield as symbolic shelter against the gathering clouds. My, as well as my cohorts and race’s survival depend on it as I have come to believe yours will eventually also.

Aware that they are walking into a trap they party still decided to go to Lord Gavorn’s party and confront him. Lord Gavorn begins the party by showing off a strange magical artifact. It is a small golden tetrahedron with intricate magical runes. He touches the artifact in a very deliberate pattern and a large bubble of darkness envelopes the estate.

In the ballroom the party fulls under the spell of a strange unearthly singer and fall into a sort of drunken haze. Gavorn begins to dance with Sariel and reveals that he knows who her father is and reveals himself to be the vampire Lord Strahd Von Zarovich After putting Sariel into some kind of trance he gets her to wield the rusted Orb. Rolan breaks free of the spell and fires arrows at the strange singer. But it is too late, Sariel lifts the orb and incinerates the ballroom crowd with black fire that pours from the orb. Vampires leap from concealed positions and the fight is joined.

The party fight through the ambush, but Sariel is once again bound to the orb. This time she cannot even let go of it. They find that the orb of darkness generated by the strange artifact prevents them from leaving. They search the mansion finding an underground catacomb. Upon entering the catacomb the hear Strahd arguing with one of his underlings. The underling wants to know why they don’t just kill the adventurers, but Strahs says that Sariel is far too important to him as “leverage.” Stahd leaves his underlings to fight the party and instructs them to bring him Sariel alive.

The party fights through the catacombs defeating Strahd’s minions. They find a study that contains records of the assassins guild that strahd’s lieutenant has been running. In the records they find that Rolan’s contract had been given for a sum of 5 astral diamonds. The ledger also mentions that his contract had been given to an assassin called “R.” They also find the means to disable the artifact, they do so and take it with them.

The party travels south to Laketown, commercial center of the remaining world. Upon arriving they find it crowed to bursting with activity. Investigating the warehouse they find it is owned by the Ravenwood Trading Company, one of Laketown’s larger trading outfits. They find it is run by a Lord Phillip Gavorn. Before they investigate further they find that they have all been invited to Lord Gavorn’s estate for a party. Clearly this is a trap.

Upon return to Oleg the party is payed for the wealth of artifacts they recovered. Oleg refers the party to the Chief Librarian George Argyle who can help them decrypt the mysterious map and lense. George is fascinated by the objects and agrees to work for them. Several days later the Ironhome guards arrest Rolan, accusing him of attempting to kill George. George’s home was broken into by an assassin that looked exactly like Rolan and stabbed the librarian with a poison dagger. George barely survived the stabbing but the poison is slowly killing him. And he in fact dies a few days later, but not after telling the party that he had translated the map.

After a trial the party successfully proves that Rolan did not kill George. They also recieve the translated map which shows a warehouse in Laketown. They set off to investigate.

The party approaches the large circular structure. Nearby they find an abandoned Troglodyte village. The village was abandoned recently, and there are signs of some kind of large fight. Approaching the structure they find the Trogs have put up a small field of totems that face the large metal door. The massive door appears to have been breach from the inside by something powerful enough to twist and possibly melt the metal doors. Inside they find the animated corpses of mind flayers and several magical guardians which are still active. After navigating the confusing concentric hallways they find the center. Strange crystals hook into strange devices which cause odd visions when touched. Using these the party determines that this place is a prison where the Illithid bring creatures from all over to study.

They also discover that the illithid had managed to trap and contain an Atropal (a stillborn godling) in the center of the prison. The Atropal broke free and killed all of the illithid, also leaving its corruption which managed to reach the Seeker tomb. The party opens several of the statis locked prisons, fighting the deranged horrors contained inside. One prison holds an Angel of the Raven Queen and several soldiers. The Angel reasons with the party and is allowed to leave. Also one of the prisons contains a young red dragon. The dragon offers a reward if it is allowed to go free, the party accepts.

The party returns to the surface and are met by Conner MacEwan who has important news for them. Upon resting however they find that it is not MacEwan but a Doppleganger assassin sent again for Rolan. Sensing defeat and capture the assassin leaps off the mountain to her death. The party finds some of the assassins items one of which is a strange map with writing that cannot be read. Also there is a strange lense with unkown magical properties.

Through his thieves guild contacts Fred learns that the archeologist Oleg MacDougal has a contract for adventurers willing to go into the Godswall mountains. Oleg has some information that the famous explorer, Balin Stonefoot, is buried at a Seeker monastery that was buried in an avalanche many years ago. Oleg found the location of the buried monastery and wants the party to go there in search of any sign of Balin and any Seeker artifacts.

During the journey to the monastery the party is attacked again by Shadar-Kai assassins who have been following them. Upon reaching the monastery Sariel is nearly killed when she falls down mountain, nearly sliding off a cliff. The party manages to enter the monastery and unlocks the tomb underneath. Something has corrupted the place as it has been overrun with the undead. Eventually the party finds Balin’s body, his boots and his journal. The journal contains a detailed map of Balin’s journeys which is far more detailed than any known map of the godswall. Also they find that Balin had discovered the final resting place of the great dwarven hero, Murren “Steelarm” Feargus. Murrens remains are said to be at the highest Seeker monestary, higher than even Balin had gone to. It is said that Murren is buried with his legendary hammer, Regret. The party finds a small runestone which Balin claims in one of the keys to Murren’s resting place.

Delving further the party finds the tunnels and caves of carrion crawlers. They also find a nest and Fred steals several crawler eggs. Further in the party encounters Trolodytes battling the undead. The tomb breaks into the vast Underdark. The party stands on a cliff face over a luminous fungus forest, in the distance they can see an ominous circular structure.

While hopelessly lost, Rolan stumbles upon the lair a Black Dragon. The dragon is Azzadral, but Rolan does not recognize this. In conversation Azzadral tricks Rolan into revealing that the Root of the Wild is not dead. Azzdral did not know this and is quite pleased by the knowledge. He lets Rolan live and flies off.

Eventually the party and its guids are able to locate Rolan. Issan and Kelia are dismayed to learn of what Rolan has done.

The party journies back to Leah’s crossing to inform Conner MacEwan. Conner has set up defenses around town anticipating an attack which comes the next day. The town is defended and the goblin forced into retreat. Conner leaves to pursue them.

The party decides to go south as well, but first heads to Ironhome.

On the way to the Ironhome the party is attacked by Shadar-Kai assassins. The assassins have sketches of Rolan.

The party meets local woodsman Issan and his wife the druid Kelia. The two agree to help the party track the goblins into the Black Forest. The forest is dangerous and is home to many malevolent spirits that trick unwary travelers. The giudes have a magic item that allows them to travel in the forest without getting lost.

On a hunch Fred asks Kelia about his dreams. Through ritual Kelia is able to dtermine the Fred is recieving vision from the Root of The Wild. The spirit in the tree will contact chosen people with visions from time to time. Kelia does not know what the dreams mean, but she advises Fred that they are very important.

In the forest the part find that to goblins are meeting with the orcs, apparently to set up some kind of alliance. Nearly all of the orc nations were decimated by the cataclysm, but apparently what remain have banded together in the black forest. The party successfully disrupts the meeting and recovers more information that indicates the goblins are part of a much larger force somewhere south of Laketown.

However the party gets separated and lost in the forest. Fred is able to gather Sariel and Rangrim, but Rolan remains lost.

The party returns to Leah’s Crossing and meets with Dwarven General Conner MacEwan. Conner has already had encounters with organized groups of goblins and is troubled by their movements. He agrees to stay and defend the town while the party goes north to find what the goblins are doing in the Black Forest to the north.

The party journeys west to the dwarven capital of Ironhome. There they hope to aid Sariel who has been cursed by the strange orb they found in the Tomb of Tan Lin. Also the mayor of Leah’s Crossing asks the party to deliver a request for aid to the dwarves.

Ironhome is swamped with refugees from eastern lands. The refugees have built a town ouside the cities walls. Entrance into the city is strictly controlled, but the party gain entrance.

Priests of Moradin are able to separate Sariel from The Orb. They reveal to Sariel that she is connected to the Orb because she is Tan Lin’s daughter.

They deliver the mayor’s message and the dwaves say they have someone in the area that they will dispatch to Leah’s Crossing to investigate the goblins.

The party investigated the wooded area. They found odd signs, strange areas of dead plants and decay. They find a tomb entrance. The tomb features a large statue of Pelor that stands in a shaft of light. They find more decorations that seen to indicate that the tomb is for Pelor worshipers and priests, but something is off, the markings and decoration are slightly off.

Under the statue they find a passage to a lower tomb that reeks of rotting flesh. The party battles undead monsters in the tomb and finds that it is in fact the Tomb of the Lich Tan Lin. Further investigation reveals a massive iron sarcophegus that is empty. Nearby they find a rusty metal orb with a large crack. It appears to magic in some way, but they cannot determine how.

Upon returning from the tomb Fred begins to have strange dreams.

*He is underground and sees the roots of a massive tree, the roots groan and creek and seem to be speaking to them.

*He sees Rolan leading a great a army. Rolan is pierced through the chest with a silver spear, and rust flows from the wound.

*Sariel holds a glowing metal sphere, her hands are stripped of flesh and only the bones remain to hold the orb. Behind her is skelital figure, dressed in robes with an iron crown on his head. She drops the orb and shatters into dust.

*Far to the south a black and flowing shape heads towards a city with a great golden dome. Val’Tass the hidden city of the Eladrin.

The part notices Sariel has an odd fixation with the orb they found, she will not be parted with it. They fear it is cursed.

The party defeats the goblins and clears out the cave they had been using as a base.

During the battle they find the goblins are far more organized than usual. They find that the goblins have erected watch towers and fortifications. In combat the goblins form ranks and fight with military control.

The party finds a map of the immeadiate area with goblin markings. It seems they are quite active in the area and there is evidence that they are moving north toward the Black Forest for some purpose.

Upon returning to Leah Crossing the receive word that people have gone missing from a nearby wooded area.

The party has arrived in the town of Leah’s Crossing. The mayor of the town has issued a call for adventurers and mercenaries to guard against goblins, which have been robbing trade routes into town. The town resides in the Tyvorian Empire but has received no assistance from the Imperial Guard. Many in the town feel that they have been abandoned to the desert.

The town is half empty, many people have left, shops are boarded up and fields have grown wild. The Leah river has dried to a creek.

The party accept a contract from the mayor to investigate the goblin problems and clear out a cave that serves as a base.